With the proliferation of the personal computer (PC) in the workplace, control of the security of computer software and the data contained in the software floppy disks has become a problem of major proportions. Attempts at encryption of the data or use of password systems to prevent unauthorized access to the data contained in the floppy disks has to date proven to be ineffective. Information has continued to be pirated and bootlegged by breaking the encryption codes through the use of yet another computer program. Non-encrypted data has simply been copied and removed from the premises to be exploited or released by the perpetrator. These losses of information have also been aggravated by the outright theft of the floppy disks themselves. Thus the control of the release of information as well as the actual theft of the floppy disk upon which the information is stored has presented a continuous problem to information and data security managers. To date no suitable solution has been found which would provide real-time/hands-on control of the data filled floppy disk. Due to the high transportability and easy concealment of the floppy disk, the job of control and detection of the presence of the floppy disk is virtually impossible without extraordinary measures such as detailed body and briefcase searches by security personnel. Such activities within the office working environment are not well received and create major problems.
These problems are also present in relation to the 3480 tape cartridges, marketed by numerous media manufacturers such as IBM, which are presently being introduced as a replacement for the conventional 2400 foot one half inch reel to reel tapes for large mainframe computers. A feature of the 3480 tape cartridge is that it can contain ten times the information normally contained on one 2400 foot reel of conventional tape. The large storage capacity of this tape cartridge is a major asset of this product as well as a major deficiency. Due to its small size, high transportability and voluminous capacity for storage, it is a major information security liability.